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Treating Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is best treated with a combination of medication, psychosocial counseling and a strong support system of family, friends, and other people, including healthcare professionals and your treatment team.
While there’s no cure for schizophrenia, you can control your symptoms. With proper treatment, you’ll be able to function more effectively—at work and with your family and friends. Schizophrenia treatments include:
- Atypical Antipsychotics
- Conventional Medications
- Psychosocial Treatment
- Rehabilitation
- Psychotherapy
- Support Systems
The newer antipsychotics—called atypical antipsychotics— are effective in treating "positive" symptoms, as well as "negative" symptoms, such as lack of motivation, social withdrawal, and emotional unresponsiveness. INVEGA is the newest option in this class of medications.
Schizophrenia can be treated with antipsychotic medications. These medications reduce symptoms and help delay the recurrence of symptoms (relapse). Conventional (also called typical) antipsychotic drugs have been available since the mid-1950s. These drugs are effective in treating the "positive" symptoms of schizophrenia, such as delusions, hallucinations, agitation, and disorganized thinking.
In a recent survey, the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) asked consumers of mental health services to rate the severity of their symptoms before and after treatment. With a score of 10 equaling the most severe symptoms, the average consumer said the severity of symptoms before treatment was 8.5, while the severity after treatment was 3.6.
Keep in mind: while medication can help reduce and control many symptoms of schizophrenia, some people will continue to experience symptoms throughout their lives.
Even with the help of medicine for schizophrenia you may still have some difficulty with communication, motivation, your relationships with others, and taking care of yourself. Plus, if you became ill between the age of 18 and 35, as many people with schizophrenia have, you may not have completed your education or job training. As a result, you may still lack work skills and job experience.
Psychosocial treatment for schizophrenia targets these social, psychological, and work-related issues. A variety of psychosocial therapy programs are available. Most focus on improving social functioning, whether in the hospital or in the community, at home or at work.
Rehabilitation includes a wide range of non-medical interventions emphasizing social and vocational training. Programs may include vocational counseling, job skills, problem solving, money management skills, the use of public transport and social skills. This enables patients to lead productive lives in the community, outside the sheltered environment of a mental hospital.
Individual psychotherapy involves regularly scheduled one-on-one talks with a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric social worker, or nurse. Group psychotherapy works the same way, but for groups of people with similar conditions.
The sessions may focus on current or past problems, experiences, thoughts, feelings, or relationships. By sharing experiences with a trained sympathetic person, your loved one may gradually gain a better insight into herself or himself and the challenges of schizophrenia. He or she can also learn to sort out the real from the unreal and distorted.
Psychotherapy is not a substitute for antipsychotic medication. It is most helpful once medical treatment has relieved the symptoms of your illness. Your doctor can advise you on the psychosocial treatment that's most suitable for you.
Family and friends can provide you with support, comfort and stability. You can also get emotional support from other people with schizophrenia. It’s important to learn that you’re not alone dealing with schizophrenia. Peer support groups, led by trained peer educators, provide an opportunity for patients suffering from schizophrenia to connect with one another—to share experiences and develop new friendships.
INVEGA® (paliperidone) extended-release tablets are used for the treatment of schizophrenia.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR INVEGA
Elderly Patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. INVEGA (paliperidone) is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis.
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare and potentially fatal side effect reported with INVEGA and similar medicines. Call your doctor immediately if the person being treated develops symptoms such as high fever; stiff muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness. Treatment should be stopped if the person being treated has NMS.
One risk of INVEGA is that it may change your heart rhythm. This effect is potentially serious, and you should talk to your doctor about any current or past heart problems. Some medications interact with INVEGA. Please inform your healthcare professional of any medications or supplements that you are taking.
Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a serious, sometimes permanent side effect reported with INVEGA and similar medications. TD includes uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, and other parts of the body. The risk of developing TD and the chance that it will become permanent is thought to increase with the length of therapy and the overall dose taken by the patient. This condition can develop after a brief period of therapy at low doses, although this is much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away partially or completely if therapy is stopped.
High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with INVEGA and similar medications. If the person being treated has diabetes or risk factors such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes, blood sugar testing should be performed at the beginning and throughout treatment with INVEGA. Complications of diabetes can be serious and even life threatening. If signs of high blood sugar or diabetes develop, such as being thirsty all the time, going to the bathroom a lot, or feeling weak or hungry, contact your doctor.
INVEGA and similar medications can raise the blood levels of a hormone known as prolactin, causing a condition known as hyperprolactinemia. Blood levels of prolactin remain elevated with continued use. Some side effects seen with these medications include the absence of a menstrual period; breasts producing milk; the development of breasts by males; and the inability to achieve an erection. The connection between prolactin levels and side effects is unknown.
People with narrowing or blockage of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach or small or large intestine) should talk to their healthcare professional before taking INVEGA.
Some people taking INVEGA may feel faint or lightheaded when they stand up or sit up too quickly. By standing up or sitting up slowly and following your healthcare professional's dosing instructions, this side effect may be reduced or it may go away over time.
INVEGA may affect your driving ability; therefore, do not drive or operate machinery before talking to your healthcare professional. Avoid alcohol while on INVEGA.
INVEGA should be used cautiously in people with a seizure disorder, who have had seizures in the past, or who have conditions that increase their risk for seizures.
Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) are usually persistent movement disorders or muscle disturbances, such as restlessness, tremors, and muscle stiffness. If you observe any of these symptoms, talk to your healthcare professional.
Inform your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or if you are planning to get pregnant while taking INVEGA. Caution should be exercised when INVEGA is administered to a nursing woman.
INVEGA may affect alertness and motor skills; use caution until the effect of INVEGA is known.
INVEGA may make you more sensitive to heat. You may have trouble cooling off, or be more likely to become dehydrated, so take care when exercising or when doing things that make you warm.
INVEGA should be swallowed whole. Tablets should not be chewed, divided, or crushed. Do not be worried if you see something that looks like a tablet in your stool. This is what is left of the tablet after all the medicine has been released.
The most common side effects that occurred with INVEGA were restlessness and extrapyramidal disorder (for example, involuntary movements, tremors and muscle stiffness).
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Please see the Important Product Information for INVEGA.
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This page was last modified on: Oct 01 2007 at 01:19:55 EDT